Theater of the Absurd-- Waiting for the Coach

I felt like I was in the middle of a Samuel Beckett play.

Without a script.

The call came shortly after 8 p.m.. Lane Kiffin would make a statement on his sudden departure from Tennessee. The catch-- I was told no cameras were allowed. I am no rube. I've been doing this a long time. I immediately told my photograher to bring his camera-- we'd work out the details later.

We arrived at the Lawson Athletic Center at 8:45 p.m. and immediately saw other television stations running cables to carry the event live. In a few short minutes we jumped from no cameras-- to a live televised resignation that would rival Nixon's for viewership (at least in this state).

Tennessee's sports information staff stepped in. No live, and no cameras, they repeated. Otherwise, no Kiffin, they threatened.

The news director from a competing station entered stage right.

He wasn't backing down-- and he wasn't going to unplug his live television connection. I immediately protested. We were told "no live" and set-up our coverage accordingly. Changing the ground rules at that point and allowing another station to televise the statement live would have been a serious breach of competitve fairness, not to mention my job security. I made my feelings known.

The "no camera" issue was different. It was totally bogus.

News directors from two stations (my boss, Jamie Foster, Ch 6,  and Bill Shory, Ch 10) protested.

University of Tennessee officials again repeated, no cameras or no Kiffin. There was some lame promise to have Kiffin read his statement separately for televison-- after print and radio had their chance.

Until last week, I had high regard for Knoxville's print and radio reporters. For some, I still do. But not so much for a few others.

While the television protest was taking place (in a rather heated and sometimes ridiculous fashion) some radio and print reporters smuggly suggested the press conference be moved to another location to get Kiffin-- stranding television. In effect, they were opting for self-interest over the bigger issue-- control of the media, which is what they were giving in to.

In the end, Kiffin came in, ad libbed a short statement and departed without taking questions.

The whole thing is now out there on youtube, which makes it even more absurd.